A Very Unfortunate Situation
by TheDarlingDoll
Summary: After escaping a war torn Atlantica, Ariel finds shelter in a small town by the sea. Taking room at an inn run by a witch, Ariel owes the woman a great deal of debt and bids her time waiting until she comes to collect what is due. When a mysterious stranger appears, Ariel is forced to share room with her and find out more about the girl who has caught the witch's attention {HIATUS}
1. Chapter 1

_Sing me a song my wayward sailor_

 _Sing me a song before you go_

 _Let it be heard across all seven seas_

 _Let it be known by all_

It'd been three weeks since she managed to part ways from the depths below she had once called home. At night she could still hear the waves whispering her name, begging her to reclaim her throne and save her subjects from the same life of turmoil she had fled from. The pangs of guilt which would wash over her were excruciating, and they often plagued her mind with the most horrific of images. She didn't want to think about all the terrible things that were happening to her friends. She didn't want to be reminded of the agony her sisters were surely in, and yet those were the only things she could think about.

Tossing and turning, it doesn't take long before her sky blue eyes shatter open and she's caught gasping for air like a fish out of water. Desperately her hands start to run over body and the panic doesn't diminish until she can feel them for herself. No longer do sea foam green scales sit beneath her waistline, no longer does a shimmering tail lay where she now has legs. Bare flesh is what she touches, and in this she takes a comfort that's as bittersweet as the freedom she cherishes. There's something unsettling about all this.

Wiping the cold sweat from her forehead, she heaves out a sigh and does her best to soothe her nerves. She knows better than to lose herself in a nightmare. No matter how desperately she misses them, she knows her loved one will simply have to make do without her. Awful as such a thought was, the ocean just wasn't her home anymore. How could she go back? After all she had done, how could she ever go back?

 **X**

In the morning she wakes up less startled. The ocean waves no longer murmur her name as they collide against the sandy shore. Their voices are now drowned out by the sound of seagulls squawking to and fro, but this also reminds her of a time she's spent so long trying to forget. Dinglehoppers and snarflblatts, those were the things her world once consisted of. To think there'd been a time where such a life had left her feeling frustrated and unsatisfied, itching for release in whatever form she could find it in. Now she would've given anything for just five minutes back. To return to those warm summer days, living her life beneath her father's care as she ventured through the kingdom alongside her beloved friends. How she missed collecting all sorts of strange commodities, and stashing them away in her very own secret place.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Getting out of bed, the petite sized redhead hastily makes her way to it before moving aside to make room for the other person. "You're early…" Her words escape in whispers and as her eyes glance down to the wooden floor below, she can't help but freeze in place. Running her tender fingers over her red locks in an attempt to make herself feel a bit more presentable, she let's her gaze greet her visitor first as she takes a moment to find her voice. Although it's her courage that needs rescuing, all the little siren is able to muster out is her voice. "I didn't expect to see you. I mean, it's just not like you to come around at this hour. You mentioned something before about hating mornings. So I just assumed you'd never-"

"Well, you know what they say about assumptions. Besides, it's not everyday I get to see you like this." The brunette's voice was as frigid as the Baltic Sea, but nothing was colder than the way she sneered at the young girl's appearance. The timid sixteen-year old could feel herself shrinking by the second, but she did her best not to let it show. Before she knew it, the woman had stepped inside and soon enough they were completely alone with the door shut tightly behind them. "I see you're doing well though. Keep your little nook of the world nice and tidy. I bet you never kept your room this clean back home."

 _Home._

It still burned every time she heard the word. Although she expected nothing but cruel remarks and impudent taunting from the woman, it still hurt nonetheless. To be in someone's debt always does. Making her way to the vanity mirror that sat above her dresser, she picked up her hairbrush and gently began to brush her hair. "No, I didn't but lots of things have changed now."

"You know I must hand it to you princess, it takes a lot of guts to do what you did. Abandoning the only home you've ever known. Leaving behind your friends and family, damning them to a life of desolation and servitude. You're quite the determined little guppy," Vanessa LeGume was both the most vile person Ariel knew, and the only person she could depend on. Which was why despite her horrid words and untimely visiting hours, Ariel didn't bother fighting back. There was no used in trying to defeat somebody who constantly had the upper hand.

"I try not to think about it too much. The sacrifices I've made haven't been easy, but I suppose that's the whole point of sacrifices in the first place. They're never meant to be," it was strange hearing herself talk like this. She was never meant to be this kind of person. Her father had done so much to ensure her a life of pure joy and protection, and yet somehow here she was. It wasn't fair at all, but it wasn't like it had happened overnight either. Ariel knew very well what she had done, and now she was going to pay for it. "Anyways, none of it would have been possible without you. I'm still so grateful for everything you've done for me Mrs. LeGume, really. I'm not sure how I could ever repay you."

"Oh it's like I told you, darling. That's for me to figure out and for you to wait on," a devilish grin graced her feature's and as Vanessa stood there with her violet eyes and alluring good looks, Ariel could see it as clear as day. The married woman who stood before her was just as much a witch as the one she had left under the sea. Except unlike that monster, Vanessa didn't maneuver her chess board using brute force. No, she was far too delicate a lady to do something like that. And in this, the little mermaid took a certain solace in because she figured Vanessa would never harm her in the light of day. There was a certain reputation she needed to uphold in this town, "Tell me though, how have your legs been treating you?"

"Just like you said they would. Every step I take feels as though I am treading upon a thousand sharp knives and at times they hurt so much they bleed," which was something she was still learning to handle. Her steps did indeed hurt and at times there was more blood than she was used to, but it wasn't like she hadn't been warned beforehand. At least this witch was honest with her, "But I'm not complaining. The hardships from up here could never compare to the atrocities from down below."

"Keep that attitude going and you just might survive this new land, guppy." There wasn't a single pet name in the world Ariel hated more. Not only because of how condescending it was nature, but also because there was a time when the name left her lips constantly. It was a term of endearment and solidarity, symbolizing a bond that she once swore would never break. She felt as though she was going to be sick, "I really should be going now. I'm glad you're adjusting fine, dear. I'd wish you farewell but we both know we'll be seeing each other again soon enough, don't we?"

"I'll happily be waiting your return," and with that Ariel watched as Vanessa left, closing the door behind her as she did and locking it the second she felt solitude's embrace. She never imagined this was what her life would come to. Escaping one witch only to end up in the hand's of another witch didn't seem like a fair trade, but she had meant what she'd said to Vanessa. Despite how awful and bleak this new life felt at times, it was still better than the Hell she had escaped from.

 **X**

"Madam please, you have to help me! I've travelled so far."

"A journey that was taken in vain," not that Vanessa LeGume actually meant that of course. She simply enjoyed seeing people's desperation reach a certain peak. There was something about fresh vulnerability that just made for more ample clientele. People don't bother trying to negotiate when they feel as though all hope is lost. Instead they just abide to whatever terms and conditions is set before them. It was quite an amusing ordeal, and it was something Vanessa had seen work time and time again.

"Oh, there must be something I can do for you? Anything! Please, you just have to help me get away," the blonde's voice was wavering and her eyes were beginning to pool. She was as fragile as the flower she claimed to be named after, and yet it was her tears that caught the brunette's eyes. _Aren't roses supposed to come with thorns?_ And yet this one was already crying and all Vanessa had done was told her no.

"It's not like you've come here asking for an elixir, dear. Housing and hiding a rare beauty such as yourself won't be easy. I'm sure you have your aunts worried sick," Vanessa couldn't help but notice how perfect her porcelain complexion was. Almost as though she'd spent most her life indoors. Which was an extreme idea to push on to someone, but there was also something rather peculiar about the child.

"But everyone in town says your husband owns the local inn. Surely you have a spare room? I promise I won't make any noise and I'm very good at cleaning after myself. Please Madam, I have nowhere else to go!" And in the same breathe, the emotionally disturbed blonde began to sob into the palms of her hands. Vanessa was certainly amused at the debacle, but she was also starting to grow bored of the poor thing. Yes, desolation was a very key component to all her plans but this girl was making it too easy.

"I'm sure your aunts will take you back with open arms. Besides, who would marry a thing like you off to some brute? Perhaps your husband is handsome and kind. You've never even seen him to say otherwise."

"No madam you don't understand! My heart belongs to another. If I return home, they'll just marry me off to some stranger and then I'll be miserable for the rest of my life." _As though your life here will be any better._ Eyeing her from head to toe, Vanessa didn't quite like how shrouded in mystery the flower was. Her story made sense, but there was something more to it. Young girls don't just up and run away from arranged marriages, there's normally too much pressured involved. Yet here she was, heartbroken as she was prideful. Valuing her quality of life over the future children she was expected to bear for this stranger of a husband her aunts had chosen for her. "Please? Even if I'm forced to share a room, I'll take it!"

Suddenly, an idea came to mind.

"Now that you mention it dear, I know a certain redheaded girl who has some space for you in her room. I'm sure you'll get along with her just fine. She's also trying to escape a very unfortunate situation."


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to upload a second chapter. It was never my intention to take such a massive break, but my freshman year of college was incredibly demanding and extremely time consuming. Regardless, I want to give a huge thank you to LeslieTheSorceress for leaving such a lovely review on the last chapter. It truly meant a lot! And to anyone who's reading this at the moment, thank you so much for taking an interest in my story! Enjoy…**

* * *

 _Don't be afraid you'll get caught in the storm_

 _Don't be afraid you won't return_

 _Sing me a song my wayward sailor_

 _Sing me a song before you go_

There was something comforting about the market place. Although one would think that the hordes of people passing by, desperate to get what they wanted for the best bargain possible would have made her an incredibly nervous mess, she actually found them to be rather intriguing. At times, when she had nothing better to do but stroll along, she would simply find herself a quiet corner to sit in and let her idle mind do the rest. If she could, she would have spent all day doing nothing more but crafting all kinds of interesting stories around the various caricatures she spotted rushing from stand to stand. Even amidst all the turmoil and anguish, her love for humanity and all its lovely little charms still had yet to fade. Though it was that very love which had left her helpless and homeless with heartbroken in the worst possible way, she couldn't bring herself to hate humanity. Not after everything she had experienced before it all went to ruin. How could she? Even if it hurt to admit so, humanity would always hold a very special place in her heart. As would _his_ memory…

Approaching a nearby fruit stand, she politely smiled at the vendor before handing him a few coins and pointing at the brightest apple available. Normally, she would try her hardest not to spend unless she absolutely needed whatever it was they were selling, but fruit was a rare commodity in the kingdom. Fish, on the other hand was much more inexpensive and therefore was normally sold alongside a special of some kind. Two for one deals were a common occurrence and extra smaller fish were usually included in to the mix for the sake of appeal, but despite the occasional craving she would feel take root in the pit of her stomach, she refused to give in to her hunger. Not because of any biological implications of course. Back home she had feasted on more fish and sea-creatures than anyone could ever imagine, but things were different now. She refused to eat fish because what her stomach lacked in food, it made up for in guilt and shame and an omnipresent sense of hopelessness.

Taking a bite out of the ruby red apple, she let her tongue cherish the sweet summer taste as she swallowed its nectar and did her best to carry on. There was no use in crying or fretting over things she could not change. Not when the sun was so bright and there were so many people to look at. People were still so fascinating to the long-haired beauty. Though her kind were quite similar in nature, humans had a more self-concerning attitude. They weren't nearly as communal or collective as mer-people were. Though they all depended on each other for one reason or another, they didn't quite seem to care all that much for their own personal well beings. That, and the fact that humans had a much higher tolerance for suffering. There was a certain kind of indifference that came with being a land dweller. An unspoken rule of thumb that everyone seemed to know, but no one dared to speak of. There was a numbness to it all and as she felt her feet begin to ache, she quickly started to drift off the main path and found somewhere to sit down on the side of the road. With nothing but an apple at hand, the blue-eyed redhead looked around at all the transient faces and slowly but surely started to lose herself amongst the crowd.

 **X**

Somewhere deep within the most treacherous valley of King Stefan's most glorious kingdom was a castle like no other. The dark clouds which hung above it were a constant reminder to anyone who dared enter its dark domain that all hope should be left at the gateway entrance. Once upon a time, it had been a place of beauty and splendor, where all kinds of majestic creatures could live in harmonious peace. The flowers which bloomed there were some of the rarest kinds the world had ever seen, and the beings who called it home seldom roamed outside its boundaries. Everything changed however, when **she** appeared out of the shadows with nothing but the cruelest of intentions and the darkest of desires.

Slender in figure with sage green skin and angular features as sharp as shattered glass, the being went by no name in the beginning. Her piercing golden fire eyes and long devilish horns were enough to instill fear in the hearts of all who laid eyes on her. She was a thing of nightmares and day terrors and little by little, her magic began to consume the land like nothing it had ever seen. The ancient entities which had once called the celestial garden home were no match for such a dreadful foe, and with few being able to escape her ruthless grasp, the grand majority were left dead in their tracks. Everything from the most docile of deer to the ever so valiant centaurs were rendered useless. She was unstoppable in a way that only great prophecies could have foreseen. And yet they had not, no divine oracles had predicted her arrival nor had any clairvoyants heard of her existence on the other side.

She was a terrible mystery to all, and as more fell victim to the plaguing darkness which devastated the once beautiful land, only three gentle sprites with lights so fading they were almost nonexistent, were able to escape the reckoning. She hadn't noticed them at first and by the time she did, they were long gone. Eventually, she began to take on more of a physical form and soon after came a title worthy of such a destructive force. _The Black Fairy_ was the first name the people had given her a few months following her arrival. Soon after, she came to be known as _The Evil Sorceress_ and as her reign left the land in the most barren of conditions, she took solace in knowing that the people were finally starting to recognize her for what she was. Not a pixie or a sprite or a fairy of any kind, but a sorceress with magic like the world had never seen. Once the land and all its former inhabitants had gone completely extinct, the people of King Stefan's kingdom started to take note of all the atrocities occurring right outside their gates. Turns out those three insignificant little bugs of light had a much stronger voice than **she** had originally anticipated. As the rumors grew louder and the identity of the terrible force which had murdered all the magical creatures became engulfed with speculation, she was graced with the title _The Mistress Of All Evil._ It was a name she found to be truly befitting, but the excitement of it all was very short lived, for there were whispers of an impending attack. King Stefan had heard of all the wickedness occurring outside his palace walls and though he knew the being posed no immediate threat to his safety or the safety of his people, he had no intention of risking any of it. After all, he had an heir on the way and he wanted to assure his Queen that their child would be born into the safest world possible. One without evil fairies or horrific genocides occurring only a few miles outside their home. When the Dark Mistress received word of King Stefan's plan, she quickly summoned forth an army from the most horrid of realms using nothing but the wave of her crimson red fingertip. Suddenly, her dominion was filled with appalling creatures who shrieked and cackled as they charged into the battlefield. King Stefan's army was no match for the Hell born beasts and as his knights began to retreat back home, the Dark Mistress appeared out of the mayhem and placed a wicked curse over them before they could escape. In just a moments worth of time, their bodies were transformed right before their very eyes. No longer were they the dashing soldiers of King Stefan's court, but instead they became hideous creatures whose likeness resembled that of farm animals. Instead of lips and teeth, they had fangs and beaks and were left with no other option but to remain in her dominion. Whether they liked it or not, they could never return home looking the way they did. King Stefan had it announced that the soldiers had all died in battle, but deep down he knew the truth was a much different story than the one he was feeding his loyal subjects.

A few months later, Queen Leah had given birth to a healthy baby girl and the royals decided to mark the momentous occasion with a beautiful christening. Nobles from all over the land were invited, and everyone in the kingdom could come as well as long as they showed up in their finest Sunday attire. The christening was a celebration like no other and of course The Three Good Fairies came for the sole purpose of bestowing three wonderful gifts on the child. Having been the ones who had warned King Stefan of all the danger and disaster which lurked outside his castle gates, the Three Good Fairies had made quite a name for themselves since they arrived at court. Although all were invited to come spread cheer and good will to the child who King Stefan and Queen Leah adored like nothing else, the Mistress Of All Evil somehow never received a formal invitation. Not that it mattered much of course, for she had absolutely every intention of bestowing a gift on the child whether they liked it or not…

"I really felt quite distressed at not receiving an invitation."

"You weren't wanted!"

"Oh dear, what an awkward situation…"

 **X**

However, that had been many years ago. Sixteen to be precise but really, who was keeping count when you had a curse to do that for you? As the horned Queen stood upon her balcony, ice cold eyes glaring straight ahead at King Stefan's castle, a devious smile started to take root on her face. Suddenly, the silence was broken by the squawking of her crow. Diablo only ever made such noise when he had news to share and this time, Maleficent wouldn't be pleased in the slightest.

"Run away! What do you mean she's run away?"

Her smile dropped.


End file.
